notes

misc

5pm

May 01, 2012

Now can you think of a better Mother's Day gift to bestow upon your Mom this year than giving her the technological ability to carry a photo (heck! even an entire library of photos) of you, her favorite child wherever she goes? Well a digital photo keychain will accomplish just that! At a glance, all the people, pets, memories and other things that mean something to you can follow you on the go. Photo key chains are easy to use and are uploaded with photos either from a USB connection or a SD card. Digital photo key chains also add an extra layer of protection for your digital memories because you are storing the photos on a separate device other than your primary computer hard drive. Even if you have your data backed up in some fashion, what's the harm in a little more "memories" insurance. Digital photo key chains are relatively inexpensive devices and range anywhere from $10 to $50 depending on the size of the screen, memory size and functions.

Some photo key chains even have the ability to take pictures as well! Whether for Mother's Day or another gift giving occasion, a digital photo key chain makes for a wonderful and thoughtful gift. After all, who wouldn't appreciate a gift that keeps on giving? Look through your memories...smile...repeat!

April 26, 2012

Mother's Day is upon us, and while it is not a day to shower you Mom with gift after gift, it is nice to provide a gesture outside of the traditional flowers as a reminder of how special she is in your life.

This past Christmas I bought my mom a Kindle touch, but regrettably, I forgot to go the extra mile and buy her a case for it. Having a case for your Kindle is a great way of keeping it protected, clean, and easy to carry around. With a quick search you can find many options to choose from! Prices vary from a simple case in the range of $10 dollars to more lavish leather cases that range into the hundreds. To help you narrow down your search we have listed for you some different categories to choose from:

April 09, 2012

The cost of Inkjet printer ink replacement cartridges can really add up over time, but there are options out there. Depending on your printer brand and model, there may be a cheaper online alternative out there to help save you some money. You can purchase remanufactured ink refills that tend to be much less expensive than name brands and will provide the same quality. Even though it may be remanufactured, don't be afraid to try the product and save yourself a couple of bucks, it's guaranteed to work!

Ink is generally less expensive online versus retail outlets and not difficult to find with the correct model number as a reference.

April 01, 2012

Most laptops today come with built in cameras, but desktops are another story. This shortcoming can be easily remedied however by purchasing an HD webcam. An HD webcam allows for video blogging, teleconferencing, or catching up with friends. These slim and compact webcams offers true high-definition performance with full 720p video capture and an integrated noise-canceling microphone, so you will always look and sound your best. Their unique design features let you bring the lens closer to your eye level for face-to-face interactions, and its convenient one-touch features let you instantly upload to YouTube and Photobucket. Logitech seems to be the industry leader in this department of HD webcams, but companies such as Creative and Microsoft also make comparable models in quality.

March 29, 2012

The functionality of a USB card reader is a handy tool with all the electronics used today. Some computers do not except certain types of memory cards, and in these situations having a USB card reader really is a necessity. Depending on your needs there is a variety of different card readers out there that can read SD, miniSD, MicroSD, Memory Stick, Xd, compact flash etc. The price range for these types of readers generally go from $5 for your more basic models to $50 that have the new 3.0 USB connection and have the ability to read multiple cards at once such as the Belkin Universal Card Reader which supports most cards and runs around $25. An inexpensive model like the Sony all in one card reader/writer costs about $15 and has the ability to read and write to 17 different type of card formats.

March 26, 2012

Depending on the environment you live inas well as personal circumstance, having an air purifier might just be a necessity for your home. If you suffer from asthma or other cardiovascular troubles you understand the importance of breathing in fresh clean air to function normally on a daily basis. Most people use air purifiers to remove particles such as pet dander, pollen, dust, dust mites, smoke and other allergens from the air. Reducing the amount of exposure to specific allergens such as these can reduce the triggers and symptoms of these health concerns.

Air purifiers come in many different shapes and sizes and the cost will vary. For example a Hamilton Beach 04383 True Air is compact for use in a small room or office and costs around $50. A larger version of something similar such as the Honeywell 50250 Pure Air HEPA Round Air Filter will cost you around $170. The Honeywell is able to work in a much larger work setting and is ideal for a room up to 390 square feet.

The HEPA model air purifiers use what is called a HEPA filter and will need replacement at every service interval. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that the air inside of your home could be as much as 100 times more polluted than the outside air. Its important to have one of these air purifiers in your house or office especially if you are living in a city environment where pollution exists in our day to day reality.

March 20, 2012

Having a GPS car homing device on your key chain is handy in many ways. From time to time you may forget where you parked your car while at the mall or in an unfamiliar location. Having a pocket GPS locator may be the tool for you if you sometimes find yourself wandering the parking lot looking for your wheels more often than not! These devices are inexpensive and can be used to help you find just about anything! Just have your pocket GPS locator on your person and set your position. Once set, the device will direct you back to your original location. Because the pocket size locator utilizes GPS technology, it is able to be used globally.

GPS locator devices cost anywhere from $40 to $400 depending on the type of unit you are looking for. A simple version such as the Audiovox ECCO Personal Pocket GPS Locator will run you around $40. This device attaches to your key-chain and is battery operated. The built-in battery is charged via USB and lasts 10 hours a charge on full use.

The more expensive GPS locators have the intelligent software to communicate back and forth with the car. These devices have two separate GPS receivers. One is located on the car and the other is pocket sized and can be linked to your key-chain. Popular brands for this include LoJack, Zoombak, Trackstick, Viper, etc. The technology is getting smaller and now many of of the key-chain models can work with the two-way systems attached to your car, truck, motorcycle, or boat. For example the Viper SmartSmart Module with GPS Tracking VSM250 can track your vehicle via satellite on your iPhone or Android device. This particular unit will cost you around $250.

March 01, 2012

Vizio has become nationally recognized as America's number-one HDTV company. Their claim to fame has been producing high quality TVs at noticeably lower costs than competitors. I have a 32" LCD 1080p flat screen from Vizio and can personally say the picture quality is great, the sound is clear and the HD programs through the television are very limpid. There is no need to spend 100’s more on name brands like Samsung and LG when Vizio offers the same quality picture and experience for significantly less money so check out Vizio today!

February 02, 2012

Having an automatic paper towel dispenser is sometimes a necessity depending on the environment. Generally there are two types of automatic paper towel dispensers, industrial models and consumer models. Industrial models are what you might find in public bathroom or a rest stop. The industrial models generally start at around $20 like the Georgia- Pacific Touchless towel dispenser and can be as expensive as $500 for high-end models!

Consumer models are designed with aesthetics in mind appropriate for kitchen and office use. The iTouchless towel-matic 2 automatic paper towel dispenser is a popular example of the convenience of the automated functionality. It can be difficult to pull off the paper towels using the conventional roll holders, especially with messy hands. All this is easily foregone with a simple wave of your hand in fron of the motion sensor. Models range in color from white and stainless steel. The automatic paper towel dispenser is very helpful in sticky situations and have been designed with functionality and convenience without aesthetically compromising your countertop .

February 01, 2012

Toaster ovens, convenient around the kitchen, dorm room, apartment due to their functionality and vesatility with musch smaller space requirements than a full-size oven. Toaster ovens compact designs are great for warming up a variety of food options rather quickly with the use of a 120 volt socket. Some of the high end toaster ovens have enough space to fit a 12” pizza and a rotisserie option like the Hamilton Beach Countertop Oven with Convection & Rotisserie. Its compact design is great for any counter-top sporting a stainless steel finish and a capacity large enough to fit two 12” pizzas!

If you are looking for a less expensive option, consider looking to the Hamilton Beach Toastation 22703H. This particular toaster oven has the functionality of both a toaster and a toaster oven. At the top there is a dual insert level for fitting in two pieces of bread/bagel/waffles at a time. This particular unit is fairly inexpensive, easy to use, and compact for a tight working environment. It's finished with a red face plate and a stainless steel shell. If you are looking for a model with a timer, consider a Black and Decker model. Black and Decker also makes a variety of inexpensive toaster oven options fit for any kitchen requirement. The durability and wide range of options from Black and Decker are class leading.

Some high end models such as the Breville The Smart Oven Bov800XL and the Cuisinart TOB-195 Convection Toaster Oven are expensive but they cater to a specific buyer. Theses units are top quality and have all the functions and options. They are also larger in size, so make sure before purchasing one you have the required counter-top space. After all, that is the point!